Bilateral swingable self-closing door hinge with common bolting axle

Abstract

A self-closing door hinge arrangement including two hinges with the structure which enables the hinges to be bolted together so as to rotate about a common axis, thereby allowing the door to swing in a balanced and smooth manner.

I claim: 
     
       1. A door hinge arrangement comprising: a lower hinge and an upper hinge, each adapted to be mounted between a door and a door frame and including a second hinge member and a first hinge member pivotally mounted to said second hinge member;   the second hinge member of said upper hinge being pivotable about a vertical upper axis of rotation;   the second hinge member of said lower hinge being freely pivotable, independently of said second hinge member of said upper hinge, about a vertical lower axis of rotation;   means, including an elongated member fixedly connecting said first hinge member of said upper hinge to said first hinge member of said lower hinge, for aligning the first hinge members of said upper and lower hinges, respectively, so that said lower vertical axis of rotation and said upper vertical axis of rotation are aligned along a common vertical axis of rotation; and   moving means, engaging the first and second hinge members of one of said upper and lower hinges, for moving the second hinge member of said one of said upper and lower hinges vertically in relation to the first hinge member of said one of said upper and lower hinges by an amount corresponding to the angular displacement about said common axis of the second hinge member of said one of said upper and lower hinges relative to the first hinge member of said one of said upper and lower hinges, the second hinge member of the other of said upper and lower hinges being vertically moveable in relation to the first hinge member of said other of said upper and lower hinges.   
     
     
       2. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said one of said upper and lower hinges comprises said upper hinge. 
     
     
       3. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 1 wherein the first hinge member of said upper hinge includes a first upper hinge leaf, vertically spaced apart first and second upper sockets respectively connected to said first upper hinge leaf, and an upper pintle received at top and bottom ends thereof by said first and second upper sockets; the second hinge member of said upper hinge including a second upper hinge leaf and an upper barrel surrounding said upper pintle between said first and second upper sockets, connected to said second upper hinge leaf;   the first hinge member of said lower hinge including a first lower hinge leaf, first and second vertically spaced apart lower sockets respectively connected to said first lower hinge leaf, and a lower pintle received at top and bottom ends thereof by said first and second lower sockets;   said second hinge member of said lower hinge including a second lower hinge leaf and a lower barrel connected to said second lower hinge leaf surrounding said lower pintle between said first and second lower sockets;   said upper pintle bottom end and said lower pintle top end comprising means for releasable fixing said upper and lower pintles to opposite ends of said elongated member.   
     
     
       4. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 3 wherein said elongated member comprises a rod having upper and lower ends, said releaseably fixing means comprising upper and lower sleeve couplings respectively surrounding said upper pintle bottom end and said rod upper end, and said lower pintle top end and said rod lower end. 
     
     
       5. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 3 wherein each of said upper and lower pintles has at least one horizontal groove; at least one of said first and second upper sockets and at least one of said first and second lower sockets each having horizontal holes therein respectively aligned with said at least one horizontal groove of said upper and lower pintles respectively to form at least two aligned horizontal holes and grooves;   said arrangement further comprising at least two pins respectively inserted through and into each of said at least two aligned horizontal holes and grooves to prevent vertical or rotational movement of said pintles in said sockets.   
     
     
       6. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 3 wherein said upper and lower pintles have vertical center bores adapted to slideably receive latch bolts; said arrangement further comprising upper and lower first and second hinge arms and upper and lower connecting parts;   said upper and lower first and second sockets being respectively connected to said upper and lower first hinge leaves by said upper and lower first and second hinge arms;   said upper and lower barrels being respectively connected to said upper and lower second hinge leaves by said upper and lower connecting parts;   said upper and lower first and second hinge arms having fixedly aligned vertical bores, said upper and lower connecting parts having other vertical bores, said fixidly aligned vertical bores and said other vertical bores being alignable and adapted to receive said latch bolts to lock said upper and lower first hinge members against rotation.   
     
     
       7. A door hinge as in claim 3 wherein the one of said upper pintle and lower pintle included in said one of said upper and lower hinges has at least one endless, generally wave-shape groove formed therein; said moving means comprising means, partially residing in and moveable along said at least one groove, for moving the one of said upper barrel and lower barrel included in said one of said upper and lower hinges in a path which follows said at least one groove.   
     
     
       8. A door hinge arrangement as in claim 7 wherein said wave of said groove has three alternately spaced and equally spaced and shaped peaks and valleys; said moving means comprising three equally spaced balls partially residing in said at least one groove so that said arrangement may be mounted to a door and door frame so that the door will be lifted during the first 60° of turning, irrespective of which direction the door is open end and irrespective of which side of the door the hinge arrangement is mounted.